CHAPTER XLV

TRAFFICS AND DISCOVERIES (_Continued_)

II. JAPAN

Having received invitations to visit Japan from the Chambers of

Commerce and from prominent persons interested in the China trade, I

stayed for a short time in that country on my way home. Thirty years

previously, accompanying H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh in the _Galatea_,

I had seen the Old Japan. I was now to see, super-imposed upon the

Old, the New Japan. That which China was groping after, Japan had

seized and made her own. What we call Western civilisation: the

civilisation of commerce, of science, of mechanical invention: Japan

had put on like a garment.

Both the army and the navy, whose supreme commander is the Emperor,

were organised, efficient, and in process of augmentation. China

feared Russia; but Japan was even then preparing to fight Russia.

As in arms, so in manufactures, Japan already rivalled the West. The

foreigner, who, a generation previously, walked in peril of his life,

was now welcomed, imitated, and loaded with civilities.

During my brief sojourn, the swift and shining manifestations of the

new spirit (which was the old spirit seeking a new avatar) surrounded

me. At Osaka, quick-firing field artillery and magazine rifles were

being made to Japanese patents, excellent in design and construction;

and the humming factories were turning out sugar, cotton, matches,

{456} iron and steel; and, at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, the

Mayor declared that it was imperative in the interests of Japanese

trade that the policy of the "Open Door" should prevail in China. The

Chamber of Commerce said the same at Kioto. A generation since, the

two-sworded samurai were guarding the door of Japan, lest it should be

opened.

At Kioto, electricity, generated by water power, lighted the streets

and houses, worked the trams, pumped the water; the use of electric

power was then more common, I believe in Japan than in any other

country; and there were telegraphs and telephones in nearly every town.

In Tokio, I had the honour of meeting several members of the Ministry,

who, stating that they regarded the "Spheres of Influence" policy to be

fatal to Japanese interests, expressed their desire to work together

with other nations in favour of the policy of the "Open Door." Having

been invited by the Chamber of Commerce to address a public meeting, I

spoke on the subject of the future development of trade with China.

The meeting was attended by Ministers, military and naval officers, the

President and many members of both Houses, and representatives of the

mercantile community. The Japanese interpreter sat beside me and

equipped with inkpot, paper and brush, he painted down my words in the

Japanese character. When I sat down, the interpreter rose and repeated

my speech in Japanese, his delivery occupying the same time as mine.

Every now and then he was interrupted by applause, the audience tapping

with their fans. The British Minister told me that it was aroused by

the mention of the identity of Japanese and British interests, and

especially by the comparison drawn between Japan and Great Britain.

The authorities kindly conducted me over the various schools of

military training, in which the system was perfect; the arsenal,

employing 6000 men, and turning out work second to none; and the

barracks, a model of efficiency. The Minister for War, General

Viscount Katsura, courteously {457} held a parade of troops for my

benefit. All arms were admirable alike in organisation, appearance,

and discipline.

Before leaving Tokio, I had the opportunity of paying my respects to

his Majesty the Emperor; who was so good as to say he remembered the

visit of the Duke of Edinburgh of whose suite I had been a member, and

invited me to an afternoon's sport in his private pleasaunce. Every

foot of the garden was wrought like a gem. Diversified with miniature

mountains, tiny grottoes, and brilliant foliage, it was intersected by

narrow rivers which were haunted by wild duck. Two or three days

before the sport took place, the garden was left solitary, so that the

ducks should come into it. The method was to catch the duck in a

hand-net as it rose from the water.

His Majesty said that the development of trade with China must

strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Great Britain and

Japan, the interests of both countries being the same; and expressed

the hope that the endeavours of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of

Great Britain might be the beginning of a great extension of trade, in

which Japan would take a prominent part.

At Yokohama, Admiral Yamamoto, Minister of Marine, courteously invited

me to visit the dockyard and fleet at Yokohama, placing H.I.M. cruiser

_Takasago_ at my disposal. The vessel was throughout in as good

condition as a man-of-war could be; and her ship's company were smart,

well dressed and well disciplined.

At Yokosha is a large torpedo depot, at which everything connected with

torpedo warfare is organised under its own administration; a system

preferable to the British method, in which the torpedo departments are

auxiliary to the dockyards.

The impression disengaged by my sojourn of a fortnight in Japan was

that both the political and commercial classes were determined to

enforce the "Open Door" in China, where their commercial interests were

extensive. I observed that the nation was arming itself steadily and

effectively; and that a spirit of patriotism was universal. Four years

later, the Russo-Japanese war broke out.

{458}